


A Little Friendly Competition

by juggieheadcoopers



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, One Shot, Tumblr Ask Box Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-24
Updated: 2017-04-24
Packaged: 2018-10-23 15:59:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10722543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/juggieheadcoopers/pseuds/juggieheadcoopers
Summary: Betty and Jughead go bowling with friends





	A Little Friendly Competition

“Sttttrrriiiikkkeee!” Veronica sprang from the plastic-covered bench excitedly, watching in awe as the ball Archie had just rolled directly down the center of the lane knocked down every last pin in one sweeping motion. “I believe that makes number three for team Varchie.”

“Is that what you’re calling yourselves now?” Betty asked, bending down to retie her shoelace as Veronica stood from the bench next to her and strode over to the ball return.

“For the sake of this bowling match?” Veronica bent down to retrieve her sparkly purple ball before turning on her heel to raise a playful eyebrow in Betty’s direction. “You bet your curly blonde ponytail I am.” 

“Okay, V, you’re up,” Archie announced, gesturing for her to join him at the start of the lane. “Show em’ what you’re made of.” 

“Watch and learn my little lambs,” Veronica fluttered her eyelashes at Jughead and Betty before prancing her way over to Archie. “Prepare to be dazzled.” 

“Now Ronnie, remember to keep your elbow pulled back - yep, exactly like that. Perfect, now step forward - keep your hips centered,” Archie instructed, carefully placing both hands on either side of her waist and adjusting her body so that it was pointing towards the middle of the lane. “Great, now you’re ready to let go and-”

Before Archie could finish, Veronica stepped away from his grasp and launched the ball down the lane. The ball veered slightly to the right, but managed to avoid the gutter, knocking down six of the ten pins.

“Yes!” Veronica yelled, jumping up and down victoriously as she turned to her friends with a look of accomplishment. “That’s how it’s done! Kev, get over here - secret victory handshake!” 

“V, you’re on an opposing team why would I-” Before he could finish his sentence, he saw Veronica wiggling her fingers at him expectantly and decided to give in. “Screw it, I can’t resist a secret handshake.”

“It’s gonna be hard to beat that, huh Jug?” Archie nudged Jughead in the arm playfully, winking at him slyly as he took a seat on the opposite side of him. “Alright, Betty, show us what you’ve got.” 

Betty and Jughead both stood reluctantly as they took a few tentative steps forward to retrieve Betty’s ball.

“Juggie, I don’t think this is a good idea,” Betty whispered, glancing back at their friends before turning back to stare dauntingly down the lane in front of them. “Last time I went bowling I was about eight-years-old and there was this terrible incident where my fingers got stuck in the bowling ball holes and-” 

“Shhh, Bets, it’s okay,” Jughead soothed, rubbing her shoulders up and down before reaching forward to grab a ball sitting on the rack. “Just breathe. Here, take the ball - it’s not going to get stuck I promise. Do you trust me?”

“You? Yes,” Betty answered, biting her bottom lip nervously as she gestured to the ball in question. “The bowling ball? Not so much.” 

“Okay, just don’t think about it,” Jughead suggested. “Think about something else.” 

“All I can think about right now is that stupid pink bowling ball eating my hand - like just completely chowing down like it’s a fancy roast dinner,” Betty panicked, pointing to the ball in Jughead’s hand and crossing her arms over her chest defiantly. 

“Remember when we were in your bedroom earlier?” Jughead offered bluntly, and Betty turned to raise a skeptical eyebrow at him. 

“Juggie, where is this going?”

“Not where you think it is, pervert, get your mind out of the gutter,” Jughead teased, taking her by the shoulders and facing her towards the lane. “You were telling me about that day your parents took you and Polly to the park when you were kids - you fed the ducks, rode the merry-go-round, had a picnic by the water. You said that was the perfect day for you guys, so think about that. You’re not here, you’re there.” 

Betty closed her eyes, envisioning the sparkling blue water of the pond, the lush evergreens surrounding her family as they sat on her great grandmother’s quilt eating her mother’s famous finger sandwiches. Suddenly, she was no longer in the dimly lit bowling alley, but instead transported back in time to her very favorite day.

“Okay, I think it’s working,” Betty announced, her eyes slowly opening as she concentrated on keeping her mind focused on the image of the pond.

“Alright, now line up the ball - great,” Jughead told her, taking a step backwards to give her the space she needed. “Now all you have to do is let go.” 

“Think about the ducks, not your fingers getting stuck,” Betty recited this little chant over and over again until she gained the courage to roll the ball down the lane. “Here goes nothing.” 

Betty let the ball fly down the center, never once veering off to the side as it hit the pins with a bang, causing them all to fall over with a satisfying clunk.

“Oh my god, I did it!” Betty exclaimed, turning to Jughead with shock written all over her face. “Juggie, did you see that?” 

“Uh yeah, I saw it - you’re a regular Earl Anthony, Bets!” Jughead praised her, wrapping his arms around her waist and scooping her into a hug. “That’s my girl, come here!” 

“Holy crap, B, did you join a secret bowling-for-troubled-youths league and not tell me?” Veronica waltzed over to the couple, looking more impressed than she had been in a long time. 

“Juggie helped me through it,” Betty admitted, glancing up at Jughead with a gracious smile. “I couldn’t have done it without him.” 

“Completely untrue,” Jughead disagreed. “But I do agree that you were amazing.” 

“Jug, I think she’s even better than you,” Archie pointed out as he and Kevin made their way over to the rest of the group. 

“Whoa, let’s not go that far,” Jughead protested. “I was the junior bowler champion of the entire Riverdale Bowling Club in the third grade - no one can even come close to getting on my level.”

“That’s not a thing,” Veronica muttered, shaking her head like this was the most ridiculous statement she had ever heard. 

“It’s a thing,” they all shot back in unison, glancing away in shame at their small town’s silly traditions. 

“These are the moments that I truly miss New York City,” Veronica mumbled under her breath, stepping away from the group to slink back down onto a bench. 

“Okay then, Mr. Junior Bowler Hotshot,” Betty crossed her arms over her chest, gesturing to the ball return and raising a challenging eyebrow at Jughead. “Show us how it’s done. Or are you too afraid you’ll tarnish your most impressive record?”

“Oh, I see how it is - you have one good run and you think you can throw down a little smack talk,” Jughead teased, his eyes dancing playfully as he watched her step out of the way to give him the floor. “Alright then. You asked for it.”

Jughead picked up his ball from the rack and turned back to wink flirtatiously in Betty’s direction. “It’s on Betty Cooper.”


End file.
